Winding machine for covering a hose of high polymer with reinforcing threads

ABSTRACT

A thread winding machine having a rotation speed in excess of 600 r.p.m. consisting of a pair of axially aligned winding units oppositely rotatable by a single motor. Each unit has a rotatable hollow shaft through which a hose to be covered with the thread is passed and a group of containers for housing a fixed cone of thread which is disposed coaxially of the container and has a base spaced from the container wall, the containers being mounted and arranged around the hollow shaft, with their respective axes inclined relative to the shaft axis at an angle of from 10* to 20* and their bases disposed in close proximity to or in contact with one another. A conveying ring is mounted on the shaft at one end for guiding the threads which are paid out through openings in the containers to the hose. A guiding head is mounted on the shaft upstream of the conveying ring to operate the laying of the threads on the hose. Braking means is provided for each thread during its travel from a container opening to the conveying ring.

[4 1 June6, 1972 3,141,285 7/1964 Benk......................... ............57/15 X HOSE OF HIGH POLYNIER WITH 3,396,522 8/1968 Biagini.......................................57/15 REINFORCING THREADS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] Inventors: Bruno Koschatzky; Attilio E. Angioletti; l I 1 l0 l9 7 1 Nino Madonini, a" of Milan y 9 ,528 59 v 5 lndustrie Pirelli S.p.A,, Milan Ital Primary Examiner--Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant Examiner-Wemer H. Schroeder May 1970 Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher Appl. No.: 37,171

[57] ABSTRACT Foreign Application Priority Data A thread winding machine having a rotation speed in excess of 600 r.p.m. consisting of a pair of axially aligned winding units July 4, pp y rotatable y a single motor. Each i has a rolata ble hollow shaft through which a hose to be covered with the United States Patent Koschatzky et al.

[54] WINDING MACHINE FOR COVERING A [73] Assignee:

22 Filed:

50 5 3 5 5 x xx x WU DWBBWUW m w w ww w fis h 5 5 6 2 unnnu nB ,4 7n42 m m J 6 m m g .36 S m h 11 n M w m m u m 4 w m M m m 5 P umua. m C S "nu m a E m e m m m e n c T n owma 1 n n A k m 5 e W gZZ u r T os o nn u u .N s onph aa m m e D CESTBVV R m s "uh 6897768 mmm N 2282455 & U 9989999 QS uwuwwuw CG 1 l d I W533 Pl uiF 533 .23 w 111 1 H33 0 mw .7 2 D[[ ill 222 PATENTEDJUH 6l972 3,667,203

SHEET 10F 2 FIG, 1

PATENTEDJUH 61972 3.667. 203

INVENTORS BRUNO KOSCHATSKY, -10 ATTILIO ANGIOLETT],

NINO MADONINI ATTORNEYS WINDING MACHINE FOR COVERING A HOSE OF HIGH POLYMER WITH REINFORCING THREADS The present invention relates to a winding machine for ap plying at least a pair of layers of threads, helically wound up and disposed in opposite directions, on flexible hoses of a high polymer, intended to convey fluids under pressure and therefore subjected to considerable inner stresses.

Up to the present time, the efiiciency of the winding machines used for said purpose was affected by various factors which, in the practice, reduced the forward speed of the hose to be covered.

The winding machines heretofore used were provided with at least one pair of rotary elements having a large diameter adapted to receive an adequate number of thread reels or thread cones. In particular, in the case of thread cones, these had to be positioned on the rotary elements at an appropriate distance from each other to permit the threads to balloon without any mutual interference. Due to their size, the rotary elements gave rise during rotation to rather high moments of inertia, so that the machine had to be provided with a reinforced structure, thus adding to manufacturing and operating costs. Further, it was virtually impossible to increase, over a certain limit, the productive capacity of the winding machines available up to now, because of the large diameters previously selected for the rotary elements intended to receive a considerable number of reels or cones.

The above disadvantages are eliminated by the present invention, which aims at providing a winding machine having a high rotation speed and consequently a high productive capacity.

Briefly summarized, the present invention provides a winding machine having a high rotation speed, for example greater than 600 r.p.m., having at least one pair of winding units op- 'positely rotatable by a single motor and axially aligned. Each unit has a rotatable hollow shaft through which a hose to be covered is passed. Each unit has at least one group, whose components do not preferably exceed the number of nine, of closed containers of circular cross section, each of which encloses a fixed cone of thread designated a defiler disposed in a coaxial position and having a base slightly spaced from the container wall, the containers being fast with and around the hollow shaft in a star-like arrangement, with their axis inclined, relative to the shaft axis, at an angle ranging from to preferably between 13 and 17, and their bases in close proximity or even in contact with one another.

A conveying ring is keyed on one end of the shaft and is used for guiding towards the hose all the threads coming from adjacent openings in the outer ends of the containers.

A guiding head keyed on the hollow shaft upstream of the ring and operating the laying of the threads on the hose to be covered is provided together with means for braking each thread during its travel from a container opening to the conveying ring.

An object of the present invention is a device for braking a thread subjected to a motion of translation and to a simultaneous motion of rotation about an axis external to it, which tends to cause ballooning," characterized in that it comprises parts for pressing the thread in a controlled way by a mechanical action of static type, substituted at a certain rotation speed by a dynamic mechanical action so that the advancing thread remains tensioned or slightly ballooned.

The present invention will be more clearly understood by the following description, given by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the winding machine, with parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic front view of a winding unit; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the thread-braking means corresponding to the above indicated braking device.

As it appears from FIG. 1, the winding machine A consists of two equal units 1,1 driven by a single motor 2 and aligned along the same axis. In the illustrated example, one of the two units is inverted with respect to the other. The winding unit 1 rotates in one direction and the winding unit 1' rotates in the opposite direction.

The winding machine A can be arranged in series to an extruder B for a hose 9 of high polymer, for example, an elastomer such as rubber.

One winding unit, more precisely unit 1, will now be described in detail, it being understood that the reference numerals adopted for it correspond to primed reference numerals indicating identical parts of the other unit.

The winding unit 1 comprises a hollow shaft 3 rotatably assembled, by means of bearings 5, on vertical supports 4 secured to a wheeled frame 6 extending the length of the entire winding machine. The single motor 2, disposed between the two winding units 1 and 1 drives a transmission 8 which drive in turn two shafts 3,3 by means of pulleys 7,7 respectively. The diameter of the hollow shalt must be greater than the maximum diameter of the hose which the winding machine is able to cover. The transmision 8 turns shafts 3,3 in opposite directions.

Three discs 10 are keyed at an equal distance on the hollow shaft 3. One of their faces; that is, face 11, is of conical shape.

The conical face 1 l of each disc carries six cylindrical containers 12, each closed by a lid 13, which is conical at its top and shows at its peak an opening 14. The angle of the profile of conical lid 1 1 ranges preferably between 45 and 75.

FIG. 2 illustrates a star-like arrangement of the containers 12 on a disc. FIG. 1, being diagrammatic, merely shows two containers for each disc. Containers 12, 13 are secured in such a way that their axes are perpendicular to a plane tangent to the conical face 1 l, and are equally spaced about the center of disc 10. A generatrix of the conical surface of the face 11 forms, with respect to a plane perpendicular to the shaft 3, an angle of 15. It follows that the axis of the containers forms an equal angle with respect to the axis of the rotatable shaft 3.

Each container 12, 13 houses a conical bobbin of thread 15 fixed in it. The bobbin is mounted on a base 16 and is coaxial with respect to the container. The thread unwinds from bobbin 15 and passes through opening 14.

The end 22 of the hollow shaft 3, towards which are inclined the groups of containers l2, 13, carries, keyed to it, a collar 17 supporting as many small pulleys 18 disposed in regular circumferential position, as there are bobbins of thread of the winding unit. The thread passes from pulleys 18 to a thread guide 19, for the helical laying of the threads on the hose 9. Thread guide 19 is keyed to the shaft 3 near collar 17.

The hose 9 passes through the hollow center 21 of the shaft 3 entering at said end 22, and the threads of winding unit 1 are wound helically about the hose. The hose then passes into hollow shaft 3' of the winding unit 1' and reaches the end 22', where it is covered by the second opposite helical layer formed by the threads paid off from the second winding unit 1'. The hose 9, covered with the helically wound up layers of threads as shown at 20, is then covered with a tubular sheath by means of an extruder (not illustrated). In each winding unit the containers 12, 13 mounted on one of the discs 10 are offset with respect to those of all the other groups of containers.

Braking means 24 for each thread is provided. The threadbraking means are mounted near apertures 14 and are fixed in such a way as to rotate with them. Such braking means, intended for each group of bobbin containers are secured on the disc 10 preceding them, with the exception of the first group for which the braking means are disposed on guide pulley support 17.

The thread-braking means diagrammatically indicated at 24 in FIG. 1 are illustrated in detail in FIG. 3, according to the embodiment corresponding to the above cited braking device, which finds an advantageous employment in the winding machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Thread-braking device 24 is comprised of a bracket 25 secured to disc 10. Bracket 25 has an inverted U-shape secured to disc 10 which rotates the thread as well as the thread-braking device. Parallel legs 25a, 25b are provided with thread guides 25c and 25d.

A stud 26, provided with a hole or slit)'27 and preferably disposed in a position perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 3 is attached to a cross bar 25a of the bracket. A compression spring 30 and two discs 28 and '29 with central holes thereon are mounted on stud 26 and held in place by nut 31. Discs 28 and 29 are slidable on stud 26 in the zone of the hole 27. i

The thread 23 coming from the bobbin 15 passes through the'hole 14 of the container and passes between the discs 28 and 29 through the hole 27 in the braking assembly 24. Then, it passes over the guide pulley 18 and into thread guide 19.

When the winding machine is at rest, or when operating at a relatively low initial rotation speed, the spring 30 forces the outer disc 29against the inner disc 28. As a result, the thread passing between the discs is braked in its free unwinding and is maintained in tensioned condition. I

When the machine operates at a high rotation speed, the centrifugal force pushes the inner disc 28 against the outer disc 29 and both discs slide along stud 26 against the action of the spring 30.H ole or slit 27 is large enough to allow sufficient movement of the discs without restricting the thread. The cen trifugal force maintains the disc 28 compressed against the disc 29 and also in this case the thread 23 is braked in its free unwinding and is thus maintained in tensioned condition or r only slightly ballooned during the very fast rotation of the machine in consequence of the tension, exerted by the advancing hose. Therefore, by virtue of these braking means, the

formation of the so-called thread balloon during the machine rotation, due to the resistance opposed by the air and also to the centrifugal force directly exerted on the thread, can be eliminated or at least minimized. In this way, the close prox imity of the cones housed by the containers cannot cause any mutual interference of the threads of any entangling of these with projecting parts of the machine. The braking force on the thread increases as the centrifugal force increases to maintain a minimum thread balloon.

It is desirable tospace the thread-braking means from the top of the adjacent thread cone a distance of to cm. The efficiency of the braking means is such that the distance betweenthe means of the farthest group and the conveying ring may exceed 1 m.

The containers, too, carry out a definite action in respect of the thread paid off from the cone referred to as a defiler." Their pre-established inclination with respect to the shaft axis, their lateral overall dimensions, which are very close to those of the enclosed thread cone, and also the pre-established angle of the profile of the cone-lid from the top of which the thread is paid off, cooperate in producing a regular and orderly unwinding of the thread from the cone with the consequent formation of a reduced balloon which, even if it is the result of the unavoidable action imparted by the centrifugal force on the thread, is not influenced by the increased air resistance due to the rotation.

The advantageous consequence of this orderly and regular unwinding of the threads from the cones and of their orderly and regular advancement before their laying on the hose is that said threads are not stopped or stretched, nor other disadvantages take place which up to this time had a prejudicial effect on the integrity of the hose made for instance of uncured rubber, namely of rubber still in plastic state.

As indicated above, the winding machine A can be arranged in series to an extruder B for the production of a hose. In that case, the hose is covered with a first layer of threads immediately after its emission from the extruder B and then; namely, at .the end of its travel along the winding machine A, is covered with the second layer of threads.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated only by way of non-limiting example, it is understood that it ineludes any modification in its whole or in its details, which derives from the basic principles on which said invention is based.

What is claimed as new is: l. A thread winding machine for covering a flexible hose with at least one pair of layers of reinforcing threads helically woundup in opposite directions, having at least a pair of axilow shaft through which the hose to be covered is passed; a

plurality of groups of containers of generally circular cross section, each of which houses a fixed cone of thread disposed in a coaxial position within said container and having a base spaced from the container wall, said groups of containers being fastened to said shaft at positions axially adjacent on said shaft and the containers of each group arranged around said shaft in a radially symmetrical arrangement, with their respective axes inclined relative to the axis of the shafi at an angle ranging from 10 to 20, so that within each group of containers the outer ends of the containers from which thread emerges are angularly divergent with respect to each other, and the opposite ends of said containers are in close proximity to one another; a single conveying ring on the shaft for guiding towards the hose all threads which are paid out through openings in the outer ends of the containers and which travel in the direction of travel of the hose; a guiding head means mounted on said shaft for laying the, threads on the hose to be covered; and braking means for controlling'the tension of each thread during its travel from a container opening to the conveying ring. v 2. A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein each winding unit comprises three groups of containers, and each group comprises six containers.

3. A winding maching as in claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination of the axis of each container with respect to the axis of the shaft ranges from 13 to 17.

4. A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein each container has a substantially cylindrical form, and has a conically shaped upper portion the profile of which forms a vertex angle rangcontainers farthest from the conveying ringand the conveying ring exceeds 1 m.

i 7. A thread winding machine as in claim "1, wherein said rotatable hollow shaft is horizontal. I

8. A thread winding machine as in claim 1, wherein each group of containers comprises not more than nine containers.

9. A thread winding machine as in claim 1, wherein said braking means for controlling the tension of each thread during its travel from a container to the conveyor ring comprises means for continuously braking the movement of said thread regardless of the speed of rotation of said thread about the axis of rotation of said rotatable hollow shaft, said means comprising two movable members facing each other and contacting said thread which advances between said members, means for biasing said movable members together between said biasing means and a stopping means for stopping said movable members, thereby braking the movement of said thread when said thread rotates about said shaft at a rotational speed not greater than a relatively low rotational speed; said movable members having sufficient weight so that when the thread rotates at a relatively high rotational speed the centrifugal force of said two movable members overcomes the biasing force of said biasing means and forces said movable members away from said stopping means against said biasing means, said movable means thereby braking the movement of said thread.

10. A device for braking a strand of thread emerging froma continuous source of such thread, said thread being subjected to a motion of rotation about an axis external to said thread, while said strand of thread is simultaneously subjected to a translation motion in a direction in a plane containing said external axis, additionally comprising means for continuously other and contacting said strand of thread which advances between said members, means for biasing said movable members together between said biasing means and a stopping means for stopping said movable members, thereby braking the movement of said thread between said movable members when said thread rotates at a rotational speed not greater than a relatively low rotational speed; said movable members having sufficient weight so that when the thread rotates at a relatively high rotational speed, the centrifugal force of said two movable members overcomes the biasing force of said biasing means and forces said movable means away from said stopping means against said biasing means, said movable means thereby braking the movement of said thread between said movable members.

11. The device of claim 10, comprising a rotatable shaft coaxial with the external axis about which the thread rotates, support means connecting said continuous braking means to said shaft about which both said support means and said continuous braking means rotate, a stud stem connected to said support means, said stud stem positioned with its long axis approximately perpendicular to the axis of said rotatable shaft, and said stud stem having a hole through which said strand of thread passes, said movable members comprising a plurality of discs slidably assembled on said stud stem with said thread between said discs and passing through the hole in the stud stern, a spring associated with said stud stem, said spring stopped at the end of said stud stem connected to said support means, and engaging one of said discs at the other end, thereby biasing one disc toward the other between said spring and a stopping means.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said spring comprises a coil spring surrounding the stud stern, and said stopping means comprises a nut engaging the second end of said stud stern which is opposite the end of said stud stem attached to said supporting means, said second end of said stud stem being threaded, and said nut engaging said stud stem by said threads.

13. A thread winding machine capable of rotational speeds in exce of 600 rpm. for covering flexible hose with at least one pair of layers of reinforcing threads helically wound in opposite directions, said machine comprising a plurality of axially aligned winding units operated in opposite directions by a single source of power, each winding unit comprising a rotatable hollow shaft through which the hose to be covered is passed, at least one group of containers of generally circular cross section, each of which houses a fixed cone of thread, said containers fastened to said shaft positioned around said shaft in a radially symmetrical arrangement, with their respec tive axes inclined relative to the axis of the shaft so that within each group of containers the outer ends of the containers from which thread emerges, are angularly divergent with respect to each other, a conveying means for guiding toward the hose all threads paid out from the containers; guiding means mounted on said shaft for laying the threads on the hose; and braking means for controlling the tension of each thread during its travel from its container to the conveying means, said braking means comprising means for continuously braking the movement of said thread regardless of the speed of rotation of said thread about the axis of said shaft, said means comprising two movable members facing each other and contacting said thread which advances between said members, means for biasing said movable members together between said biasing means and a stopping means for stopping said movable members, thereby braking movement of said thread when said thread rotates at a rotational speed not greater than a relatively low rotational speed, and said movable members having sufficient weight so that when the thread rotates at a relatively high rotational speed, the centrifugal force of said two movable members overcomes the biasing force of said biasing means and forces said movable means away from said stopping means against said biasing means, said movable members thereby braking the movement of said thread. 

1. A thread winding machine for covering a flexible hose with at least one pair of layers of reinforcing threads helically wound up in opposite directions, having at least a pair of axially aligned winding units operated in opposition by a single motor in which each winding unit comprises: a rotatable hollow shaft through which the hose to be covered is passed; a plurality of groups of containers of generally circular cross section, each of which houses a fixed cone of thread disposed in a coaxial position within said container and having a base spaced from the container wall, said groups of containers being fastened to said shaft at positions axially adjacent on said shaft and the containers of each group arranged around said shaft in a radially symmetrical arrangement, with their respective axes inclined relative to the axis of the shaft at an angle ranging from 10* to 20*, so that within each group of containers the outer ends of the containers from which thread emerges are angularly divergent with respect to each other, and the opposite ends of said containers are in close proximity to one another; a single conveying ring on the shaft for guiding towards the hose all threads which are paid out through openings in the outer ends of the containers and which travel in the direction of travel of the hose; a guiding head means mounted on said shaft for laying the threads on the hose to be covEred; and braking means for controlling the tension of each thread during its travel from a container opening to the conveying ring.
 2. A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein each winding unit comprises three groups of containers, and each group comprises six containers.
 3. A winding maching as in claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination of the axis of each container with respect to the axis of the shaft ranges from 13* to 17*.
 4. A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein each container has a substantially cylindrical form, and has a conically shaped upper portion the profile of which forms a vertex angle ranging between 45* and 65*.
 5. A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein the distance between each braking means and the top of its respectively adjacent thread container ranges between 5 and 15 cm.
 6. A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein in each winding unit the distance between the braking means of the group of containers farthest from the conveying ring and the conveying ring exceeds 1 m.
 7. A thread winding machine as in claim 1, wherein said rotatable hollow shaft is horizontal.
 8. A thread winding machine as in claim 1, wherein each group of containers comprises not more than nine containers.
 9. A thread winding machine as in claim 1, wherein said braking means for controlling the tension of each thread during its travel from a container to the conveyor ring comprises means for continuously braking the movement of said thread regardless of the speed of rotation of said thread about the axis of rotation of said rotatable hollow shaft, said means comprising two movable members facing each other and contacting said thread which advances between said members, means for biasing said movable members together between said biasing means and a stopping means for stopping said movable members, thereby braking the movement of said thread when said thread rotates about said shaft at a rotational speed not greater than a relatively low rotational speed; said movable members having sufficient weight so that when the thread rotates at a relatively high rotational speed the centrifugal force of said two movable members overcomes the biasing force of said biasing means and forces said movable members away from said stopping means against said biasing means, said movable means thereby braking the movement of said thread.
 10. A device for braking a strand of thread emerging from a continuous source of such thread, said thread being subjected to a motion of rotation about an axis external to said thread, while said strand of thread is simultaneously subjected to a translation motion in a direction in a plane containing said external axis, additionally comprising means for continuously braking the movement of said strand of thread regardless of the speed of rotation of said thread about said external axis, said means comprising two movable members facing each other and contacting said strand of thread which advances between said members, means for biasing said movable members together between said biasing means and a stopping means for stopping said movable members, thereby braking the movement of said thread between said movable members when said thread rotates at a rotational speed not greater than a relatively low rotational speed; said movable members having sufficient weight so that when the thread rotates at a relatively high rotational speed, the centrifugal force of said two movable members overcomes the biasing force of said biasing means and forces said movable means away from said stopping means against said biasing means, said movable means thereby braking the movement of said thread between said movable members.
 11. The device of claim 10, comprising a rotatable shaft coaxial with the external axis about which the thread rotates, support means connecting said continuous braking means to said shaft about which both said support means and said continuous braking means rotate, a stud sTem connected to said support means, said stud stem positioned with its long axis approximately perpendicular to the axis of said rotatable shaft, and said stud stem having a hole through which said strand of thread passes, said movable members comprising a plurality of discs slidably assembled on said stud stem with said thread between said discs and passing through the hole in the stud stem, a spring associated with said stud stem, said spring stopped at the end of said stud stem connected to said support means, and engaging one of said discs at the other end, thereby biasing one disc toward the other between said spring and a stopping means.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein said spring comprises a coil spring surrounding the stud stem, and said stopping means comprises a nut engaging the second end of said stud stem which is opposite the end of said stud stem attached to said supporting means, said second end of said stud stem being threaded, and said nut engaging said stud stem by said threads.
 13. A thread winding machine capable of rotational speeds in excess of 600 r.p.m. for covering flexible hose with at least one pair of layers of reinforcing threads helically wound in opposite directions, said machine comprising a plurality of axially aligned winding units operated in opposite directions by a single source of power, each winding unit comprising a rotatable hollow shaft through which the hose to be covered is passed, at least one group of containers of generally circular cross section, each of which houses a fixed cone of thread, said containers fastened to said shaft positioned around said shaft in a radially symmetrical arrangement, with their respective axes inclined relative to the axis of the shaft so that within each group of containers the outer ends of the containers from which thread emerges, are angularly divergent with respect to each other, a conveying means for guiding toward the hose all threads paid out from the containers; guiding means mounted on said shaft for laying the threads on the hose; and braking means for controlling the tension of each thread during its travel from its container to the conveying means, said braking means comprising means for continuously braking the movement of said thread regardless of the speed of rotation of said thread about the axis of said shaft, said means comprising two movable members facing each other and contacting said thread which advances between said members, means for biasing said movable members together between said biasing means and a stopping means for stopping said movable members, thereby braking movement of said thread when said thread rotates at a rotational speed not greater than a relatively low rotational speed, and said movable members having sufficient weight so that when the thread rotates at a relatively high rotational speed, the centrifugal force of said two movable members overcomes the biasing force of said biasing means and forces said movable means away from said stopping means against said biasing means, said movable members thereby braking the movement of said thread. 